Connect with us

Travel

What do you know about the Black protest music that inspired Reggae Month?

Published

on

Reggae Month, Reggae music, Bob Marley, Black protest music, Jamaica, Soca, Calypso, Caribbean music, Caribbean travel, theGrio.com

As we immerse ourselves in the wealthy tapestry of February, two significant and harmonious celebrations unfold side by side – Black History Month and Reggae Month. In addition to its well-deserved give attention to African American creativity, February resonates with reggae rhythms, creating an interwoven narrative of cultural expression and social consciousness. This seamless mix of celebrations provides a poignant backdrop for delving into the intricate connections between them, exploring the profound influence of reggae music while honoring the enduring legacy of Black history.

Reggae, well known as certainly one of the few revolutionary Black protest music genres, holds steadfastly to its core tenets of unity, peace and love. Established in 2008 through a partnership between the Government of Jamaica and the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA), Reggae Month took root in February, coinciding with the birthday of legendary reggae luminary Bob Marley. Born February 6, 1945, Marley is widely respected for his monumental contributions to music and his enduring legacy as a distinguished black activist.

In honor of Reggae Month, we’re taking a journey through five noteworthy events that not only have fun the genre’s profound impact on the global music scene, but in addition pay tribute to the enduring legacy of Black history. From iconic performances to insightful discussions, these annual events are a testament to the power of music to inform stories of strength, unity and an unwavering pursuit of justice during Reggae Month.

Advertisement

Music conference on the island

Founded by the esteemed Dr. Orville “Shaggy” Burrell, a world-renowned reggae luminary, in collaboration with Judith Bodley and Sharon Burke, Island Music Conference (IMC) appears as an annual four-day gathering of music professionals. Filled with insightful panels, immersive workshops and charming performances from key contributors to the Caribbean music scene, IMC is a vibrant melting pot. Bringing together the world’s leading music executives, artists, producers, publicists, journalists and more, the conference takes place in Kingston, Jamaica, the epicenter of reggae music. IMC goals to catalyze transformational experiences for those in the music and entertainment industry, offering the latest advice and insights through dynamic panels, workshops and invaluable networking opportunities. The conference, which takes place on February 21-25, allows participants to pre-register for the entire event or decide to participate on a selected day.

Lost in Time Festival

If you are searching for an immersive musical experience that truly embodies the soul of reggae during Reggae Month, look no further than Lost in Time Festival. Taking place on February 24 at Hope Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica, this rhythmic celebration offers a full day crammed with music, crafts, delicious food and an array of sound stages, dance floors and leisure areas for reggae lovers to collect. The organizer is the reggae collective In.Digg.Nationhosted by talented reggae artist Protoje, 2024 marks the festival’s second energetic 12 months. In addition to Protoje, this 12 months’s program will feature distinguished reggae artists reminiscent of Lila Ike, Jesse Royal, Romain Virgo, Jah9 and more, ensuring an unforgettable experience for all participants.

“Bob Marley: One Love” premiere.

If you have not run out to your local theater yet, now could be the time to grab some popcorn and immerse yourself in the charming biopic “Bob Marley: One Love”! Released on Valentine’s Day, the long-awaited, candid film offers an intimate look into the lifetime of the iconic Bob Marley.

Born Robert Nesta Marley, the musician transcends the realm of reggae, leaving an indelible mark on the broader landscape of music and black activism. His songs touched upon themes of unity, resistance, Rastafari beliefs, promoting African unity, global harmony and the timeless message of affection. Even today, Bob Marley’s music, image and name echo throughout the world.

Advertisement

Celebrating opening week, “Bob Marley: One Love” quickly became the #1 film in America. To have fun Reggae Month and deepen your understanding of this influential genre, culture and legend itself, don’t miss the opportunity to see it at a theater near you.

Featured Stories

Carnivals of Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica

Although born in Jamaica, reggae music finds a house throughout the Caribbean due to shared diasporic connections and cultural similarities. During Reggae Month, each Trinidad and Tobago AND Dominica they host famous carnivals and this just isn’t only a coincidence. Carnival, considered a pre-Lenten masquerade, symbolizes culture, resilience, liberation and freedom. In a vibrant carnival atmosphere, reggae and its sister genres, soca and calypso music, take center stage with energetic rhythms that foster unity and have uplifting, positive lyrics that create an environment of collective joy and enthusiasm. It is price noting that in each Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago, where the overwhelming majority of the Black population makes significant contributions, carnival culture embodies the spirit of resilience and freedom. This 12 months, the major carnival parades in Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica took place on February 12 and 13 respectively, with international participants already planning their 2025 trip.

JaRIA Honorary Awards

The Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA), the driving force behind the nationwide celebration of Reggae Month, naturally takes the lead in organizing a series of events to commemorate the month. One of the highlights of this month-long music celebration is the highly anticipated JaRIA Honor Awards, an annual gala organized by the association to acknowledge outstanding contributions to the Jamaican music industry. The ceremony, which is able to happen on February 25, guarantees to bring together the crème de la crème of reggae culture. In addition to the accolades, two special awards, that are open to public voting, will allow winners to compete for the coveted title chosen by the public. If you want to participate on this democratic decision-making process, go to the website JaRIA Honor Awards website to solid your vote and watch the live broadcast on YouTube.

Advertisement

Noel Cymone Walker is a New York-based author specializing in beauty, fashion, music, travel, and cultural anthropology. She has written and produced artwork for several notable publications including The Recording Academy/The Grammys, The Fader, Billboard, OKplayer, Marie Claire, Glamour, Allure, Essence, Ebony and more.


This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Advertisement

Travel

Are you looking for black luxury in full? Spice Island Beach Resort is a new standard

Published

on

By

Janelle Hopkin knows that her father could be proud.

Sir Roiston Hopkin was a figure greater than life, who became a knight by the Queen of England, but egg scrambled eggs for breakfast were still daily, maintaining contact with people around the globe, in addition to his home island Grenada, West India, a small island north of Trinidad and Tobago and only a five -hour flight from New York.

Advertisement

It was Sir Hopkin who had a vision of constructing a wonderful luxurious resort along the Grenada Grandada Grandada Anse Beach, often known as Spice Island Beach Resort. It began in 1987, when he bought a neglected center from 20 rooms and worked from 12 months to 12 months to expand it to 64 luxury villas. The son of oldsters who had a motel, hospitality ran along with his blood.

In times, he got here across a guest or businessman who was surprised when a young black man was conducting such a great project, his youth or breed was never an obstacle. In Grenada, black entrepreneurship was as common because the nutmeg that grew on the trees across the island. Everyone who was surprised simply catching up.

Sir Roiston Hopkin, visionary Spice Island Beach Resort, poses along with his daughter Janelle Hopkin, who is now the president and managing director. (Photo: Spice Island Beach Resort)

“He traveled a lot and saw things,” he recalls. He at all times got here back from travel and had an idea. He desired to push the novel. When everyone said, “We can’t do it, it’s okay as it is.” He said, “What do you mean I can’t do it because I’m in Grenada?” He loved his country. He desired to encourage Grenada and affinity for Grenada in the hearts of his guests.

And so Sir Hopkin lived daily along with his dream, running along with his wife along with his wife and two daughters watching his every move – including his youngest, Janelle, who asked to learn business and deserved to scrub the kitchen in the kitchen to profitability. Ultimately, Spice Island Beach Resort is growing and fame, winning a five -time rating AAA and accepts guests corresponding to Prince Harry.

Advertisement

Before her father got sick and died in 2020, Hopkin accepted the fact that at some point he could manage her full-time family business-but her father explained that he trusted her vision to transfer her to a higher level.

Janelle Hopkin is the president and managing director of Spice Island Beach Resort and a third generation hotelier in Grenada. (Photo: Spice Island Beach Resort)

Sir Hopkin was right. Now, having the title of president and managing director, Janelle Hopkin boldly pushed to administer the well -oiled machine Spice Island Beach Resort. In addition to 64 luxury villas, the middle offers a combination of built -in pools, patio and beach balconies, in addition to a delicious full -day dining room and drinks with a non -standard menu prepared by the chef, which may be served by the bed or beach.

Thanks to the best rated SPA, a complete fitness center with yoga classes, a swimming pool and two restaurants, Hopkin claims that Spice Island Beach Resort is designed in order that all the pieces that guests need in one place.

(Photo courtesy of Spice Island Beach Resort)

“But I had to push forward and ignore the noise. If you love what you do, you can’t just do the same every day – you have to think about the bigger one.”

And think she did it. Just in time for the fiftieth anniversary of the anniversary of Independence Grenada, Hopkin also renewed the parts of the beach deck in which hotel guests spilled, enjoyed the weekly Sunday grill buffet and listened to live music Steelpan, bringing a modern atmosphere.

She also intended to convey a donation to varsities, employ locally and trained new generations of Grenadian to prosper in the hotel industry, which might increasingly dominate the company brands coming to the Caribbean Islands to submit their claims.

Advertisement

“I’m going to speak (students) and let them know, study tourism and hospitality does not give coffee and cleaning. You can get so high in your career,” says Hopkin.

“I honestly believe in employing local employees from all levels. You go to many resorts in the Caribbean, and many senior management is not local” – he explains. “Many of my teams grew up here. Many of them are women. They started as receptionists … It takes much more time, much more training. But the same in itself turns to the island.”

(Photo courtesy of Spice Island Beach Resort)

While Spice Island is the property of Black, its clientele comes from everywhere in the world to experience luxurious accommodation, and a fast crowd scan in a winter week shows a diverse mixture of guests, including about 30 years, but mainly older European couples on vacation from cold, relaxing in private cabins.

But Hopkin also met many black American tourists visiting Spice, moving the inspiring history of her family and the black beginnings of the middle. Recently, she fell on a couple from Chicago, who needed to experience Spice Island for herself.

Such stories confirm Janelle Hopkin that he not only maintains his father’s heritage alive through Spice Island Beach Resort, but expands him to achieve more people willing to offer.

Advertisement

Now her heritage is also based on the leadership of black women in the Caribbean, which showed that they’ve what they have to be bosses, leaders, innovators and others. As the mother of the young son and executive director, at all times on the go, Hopkin climbs in many mountains at the identical time-but like her father, who marked out a new territory with grace and whose portrait is one in every of the primary things that may greet guests in the lobby of the resort on the beach of Spice Island-Hopkin learns their very own lessons concerning the principles of success and applying them in real time:


(Tagstotransate) grenada

Advertisement
This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading

Travel

From the plantation to black heritage: like Shadel Nyack Compton, he transformed Estate Belmont Grenada to the destination for a visit

Published

on

By

When Shadel Compton Nyack left her native country Grenada at Howard University a many years ago, her life plan was quite clearly touched – graduation in HBCu, go to law school and continues his profession as a lawyer.

But life has a fun way to shake the best -developed plans.

Advertisement

She grew up on a farm named Belmont Estate it was dark past-Earlier he served as a profitable plantation on the island of Grenada-as long as its ancestors Indo-Grenadan didn’t buy it. Despite their positive intention, they might allow the terrain to fall into ruins through old age. Compton Nyack saw the opportunity.

“I had a passion and I knew that I wanted to keep this business that has been so important in Grenada for many decades. And this ensured economic stability that provided jobs. “

Compton Nyack saw areas that when produced chocolate and other products and thought that they might be grown again for tourist purposes. She began to transform the property into a university environment, which trained local residents of the production process for crops, together with the activities of the points of business and tourism of the Earth.

Visitors to Belmont Estate can then visit a delicious fragrant production room, wherein the paste is transformed into chocolate bars, trying the final product and buying gifts for the home.

Advertisement

In addition to the chocolate trip, guests can try goat cheese produced on the farm and eat lunch on the table farm.

The wealthy history and current transformation of the Earth Grenadan is something that Compton Nyack wants more African -American travelers to enjoy.

“I am glad that African Americans spend their dollars in the Caribbean, recognizing our history and culture, as well as for many areas in which we have similarities … and simply develop a greater sense of pride,” reflects Compton Nyack.

Celebration of the New Year in Africa, the Caribbean, focus on the family, food, celebrations

Black leadership in business is a common thread that goes beyond the borders of the Black Diaspora. This one Shadel Compton Nyack Hopes inspires latest generations of entrepreneurs, especially black people, especially women, derive hope from tourist industries, which sometimes seem exploiting.

“They come here and see that we are a black country, that we have black leadership, that there are black in business,” he says. “So many … local entrepreneurs, especially here in Grenada. I think the dynamics here in Grenada is different than on many other islands. And African Americans appreciate it. “

Advertisement

For anyone who wants to go to the unknown, Compton Nyack offers this encouragement:

“I’m saying, go for it. You know when you’ve got this inspiration, this vision and this passion – you have to have it first – for it. Enjoy the process. It needs to be fun. It should make you are feeling glad. And if possible, ensure your project, what you are promoting makes a difference in the lives of others.

For me it’s the biggest joy – that I develop people here. We support the community. We try to help people maintain the environment higher. So all this stuff provide you with a great sense of goal and satisfaction, and you’ll be able to change your world. “

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohumproxl64

Advertisement

(Tagstranslat) grenada

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading

Travel

This black yoga studio is the perfect travel escape in Grenada

Published

on

By

Hidden on the hills of the Grenada island, in the community of St. George’s, sits yoga Spice Harmony, a black yoga studio that seems to escape from the world. Founded by Dr. Kecia Brooks-Smith-LoweHer husband Ferron C. Lowe ESQ.and their daughter, Malaika Brooks-Smith-LoweSpice Harmony Yoga is positioned on the third floor of the Brooks-Lowe-Smith family home. With a fruit and vegetable garden in the yard and medical practice, Dr. Brooks-Smith-Lowe on the second floor, in this house, purpose, passion and repair.

Visitors recognize Harmony Spice as a comfortable space with purple with yoga mats, bands and pillows. It has all the vital elements of a typical studio with unpretentious sense and stands out from one other space on the island as the only non-hotel yoga studio in Grenada.

Advertisement

The story of Spice Harmony actually began in Montclair, New Jersey, in the 90s, when Dr. Brooks-Smith-Lowee made a medical residence-a stressful and demanding phase becoming a physician. Her husband, Ferron, from Grenada, went to local walks and discovered yoga as a strategy to de -stress, after which brought his family, including Malaika. Soon, the whole family was trained and licensed, in 2011, all three members of the Brooks-Smith-Low family officially launched Spice Harmony yoga on a gorgeous island.

Malaika Brooks-Lowe-Smith co-founder Spice Harmony Yoga along with her parents in Grenada. He stands in front of their great wall to clarify the advantages of yoga for mental and physical health. (Photo: Natasha S. Alfford/Thegrio)
The Art of the Career Pivot: How the entrepreneur found her calling her yoga mat

Malaika says that although people often see yoga as a hobby or fitness trend, Harmony Spice serves a deeper goal in the community by changing the possibilities.

“People often feel that yoga is not for them,” he explains. “For any reason: they are too old. They are not flexible. It’s a man. They have a medical problem. And yoga therapy taught me that you can meet someone anywhere. “

The studio offers private classes, with non -standard experience for couples in honey months or holidays, in addition to classes for kids, seniors, future pregnant moms and others.

“Great Yoga Wall” Spice Harmony is also a special feature that leaves guests suspended in the air, with ropes attached to wall hooks, which make them feel weightless. It helps with flexibility and customary problems.

Advertisement

Malaika, who is also a trained doula and mother for a six -year -old boy, notes that a lot of her clients also use yoga for medical and therapeutic reasons.

“Some of my parents, my patients had impacts, paralysis, all kinds of things. And there are so many aspects of this practice that go beyond physical. Breath, mindfulness that we still need, especially when our body is not, you know what it was once or passed through something traumatic. So for me the opportunity to have this space and offer something so high quality, which our people deserve. “

Guess which tiny Caribbean island turned AI into a digital gold mine

To support this effort, he is working on raising funds for a brand new project called The Wild Seed Sanctuary-Trzy and a half Akra of a social enterprise designed to create a comprehensive, intergenerational yoga space, social events and healing.

Wild seeds will gather all guests and residents in Grenada with the “Pay-What-You-Can” model, creating black coworking and yoga space, which means that you can create organic connections.

The youngest Brooks-Smith-Lowee received numerous support and enthusiasm for the project and hopes that he’ll replace it by the end of the 12 months.

The presence of Spice Harmony in Grenada is in the landscape of many black firms, and it is one among the Brooke-Smith-Lowe malaika, from which it attracts strength.

Advertisement

“Many people move to Grenada. And this is great, especially since there are more – they are not only white people who move here and call themselves expatt. We also have younger black and brown people who are trying to get out of the USA and Great Britain … I think it is still important that we have companies that we also really run in Grenada, that we also use it. “

Watch Black Travel Diary: Why should you visit the island of Antigua

(Tagstotransate) grenada

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending